1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is that of an appurtenance, equipment, or facility for boats, more particularly sail boats. The invention is particularly concerned with an appurtenance which provides a seat platform and which is mounted to be movable between an outboard position overhanging a side of gunwhale of the boat, to an inboard position wherein it is flush against the bottom of the boat, (ie) preferably mate with and is supported against the adjacent hull structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many different types of sailing craft in the form of small boats are contemporarily known. These boats may be equipped with various different types of sailing rigs.
A boat equipped with sails while sailing normally heels over towards the leeward side, that is, away from the windward or weather side. Typically in order to compensate for the heel, or to limit the degree of heeling in a fresh breeze one or more of the crew members will position themselves on the side or gunwhale or rail at the windward side of the boat and then lean outward to a substantial extent, so that the weight of the crew member will compensate for and limit the heeling. At such times the crew member usually will grasp a line attached to a mast or otherwise in order to hold his/her position for safety.
The position of a crew member as described is not particularly comfortable and may of course, be dangerous depending on, of course, the type of boat, the wind conditions, and the seafaring experience of the crew member.
The prior art has not provided an appliance or a facility to provide for comfortably accommodating a crew member to position his/her weight in a manner seeking to counter-balance the heeling of the boat or vessel. The herein invention meets the unfilled need. A detailed description of an exemplary form of the invention is provided herein.